100% Kona Coffee Legislation
KCFA represents the Farmers' voice to our Legislators.
KCFA will actively represent and communicate the interests of its members to State and Federal legislators and agencies on issues such as amendment to the State 10% Kona coffee blend law, country of origin labeling, importation of green coffee, consumer protection, and preservation of important agricultural lands.
"Why is Hawaii the only region anywhere in the world that permits the use of the name of one of its premier specialty agricultural crops with only 10% genuine content?"- President, Bruce Corker at the KCFA Annual Meeting- January 2010
August 2010
2010 Candidates Respond to KCFA Questionnaire here
ATTN: KCFA Members, it's a must-read! to Vote Smart!
it was suggested that any member who does not read the responses to this Questionnaire should be fined $5:)- we feel they are that important!
We've had the Political support of Hawaii County and State in the following:
KCFA’s Legislative Objectives are set forth in our four formal Position Statements: “Green Coffee Imports”, “10 Percent Blend Law”, “Truth-in-Labeling”, and “GMO Coffee Position”.
July 2009
As the Kona Coffee Farmers Association’s representative, President Bruce Corker attended 3 days of agricultural conferences at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, June 30-July 2.
The first 2 days were dedicated to the “Agile Agriculture Summit” in which more than 125 delegates representing farmers, retailers, government agencies and various universities participated. The focus of the conference was “How to connect small and medium-scale agricultural producers with lucrative large markets”. The consensus from the conference sessions was that small and medium-scale producers must join together in co-ops or marketing alliances to achieve volume and market power to gain access to large markets and to the higher profits those markets offer.
On the third day, the “U.S. Place-of-Origin Conference” was convened. This event was organized by Elizabeth Barham of the University of Missouri. As KCFA Board members will recall, Dr. Barham met with us when she was in Kona this past January and discussed her work on place-of-origin issues. At this July 2 Conference more than 50 representatives of producer groups, marketers, government agencies and universities participated in a full day of conference sessions. Panel presentations were offered on geographical identity issues faced by Kona coffee, Idaho potatoes, Napa Valley wine, and Missouri Northern pecans. The similarity of problems faced by producers of other specialty agriculture crops from counterfeiting and unscrupulous marketing are strikingly similar to those we face with Kona coffee. Conference participants decided to explore the formation of a national organization of producers of American-origin-products and to create a national inventory of US origin specialty crops.
Text and Photos of Harold Hoogasian, KCFA International Liaison's visit to Teruel, Spain for the OriGIn conference, are available here
All Geographic Identity News is here
March 2009
KONA COFFEE FARMERS ASSOCIATION
RESOLUTION OF MARCH 18, 2009
A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE TO PROVIDE VIDEO CONFERENCING IN ORDER TO END THE DISENFRANCHISEMENT OF OUTER ISLAND RESIDENTS FROM EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE LEGISLATIVE HEARINGS PROCESS
WHEREAS, the current State Legislative system of short-notice hearings and testimony on proposed legislation essentially disenfranchises ordinary citizens from the Outer Islands;
WHEREAS, bills are in practice often scheduled for hearing with little or no notice and written testimony is required to be sent in one day in advance;
WHEREAS, even when written testimony can be timely submitted, it is well recognized that live testimony has a much greater impact on representatives and senators;
WHEREAS, short-notice travel to Honolulu for personal testimony by Outer Island residents is often not possible because there are not flights arriving early enough, or flights are full, or costs are prohibitively high;
WHEREAS, the current system too often leaves the floor at Legislative hearings to the lobbyists for special interests and effectively silences the voices of ordinary citizens from the Outer Islands;
WHEREAS, attached as Exhibit A to this Resolution, the March 2009 edition of “The Independent Voice”, the newsletter of the Kona Coffee Farmers Association, provides examples and describes the barriers faced by ordinary Outer Island residents—including Kona coffee farmers—wishing to provide testimony under the current system.
WHEREAS, the current state of video conferencing can provide a simple and cost effective way for Outer Island citizens to be fairly heard and for their voices to be considered in the Legislative process;
WHEREAS, the video conferencing system the Hawaii County Council currently has in place amply demonstrates the feasibility and cost effectiveness of broadening citizen participation in the legislative process by allowing Kona residents to give personal testimony when Council meetings are held in Hilo, and vice versa when meetings are held in Kona,
THEREFORE,
IT IS RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE KONA COFFEE FARMERS ASSOCIATION that the Hawaii State Legislature is requested to implement without delay a video conferencing system for the taking of live testimony of citizens from the Outer Islands at all Legislative hearings at which testimony from the public is taken;
IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Kona Coffee Farmers Association is requested to transmit copies of this resolution, and its attachment, to all members of the State Legislature and to the Mayors and County Councils of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui Counties.
Adopted at Captain Cook, Hawaii, March 18, 2009.
Attested to by:
Mary Lake, Secretary
Kona Coffee Farmers Association
On January 27, 2009 we were treated to an inspiring discussion with Professor Beth Barham from the University of Missouri at Columbia, Missouri about the procedure of establishing geographical origin.
Professor Barham
January 26, 2009 - 2 Truth-in-Labeling Bills were introduced by Representative Denny Coffman for the 2009 Legislature but did not get out of Committee.
- HB448- "Truth-in-Labeling for Hawaii-Grown Agricultural Products" here
- HB931-"Truth-in-Labeling for Hawaii-Grown Coffees" here
Despite his good intentions...well - denied again. Auwe!
2008
11.14.08-The Hawaii County Council Overturned the Mayor's Veto of the GMO BAN on Hawaii Island after 5.5 hours of testimony by our hard working KCFA group. Congratulations to all and Mahalo to our County Council!
The KCFA sponsored 3 Candidate Forums in the Fall of 2008, dedicated to agricultural issues.
2008 Candidates- Our original mailing in September 2008
please click to access specific.pdf above
We could always use financial help to pursue these important efforts. click here to donate on-line
or alternatively, you can mail a donation to:
KCFA
PO Box 5346
Kailua-Kona HI 96745
mahalo nui
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